X-mas Help

[Pan-Chan]

So I'm thinking about what I should get my sensei(the four of them)for X-mas. And I'm completely stumped, so I was wondering if any of you knew of any traditional Japanese gifts? Seeing as Japan is kind of a motif and all.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

[Anime12478]

You could get him a new set of armor. I am pretty sure he would like that :D.

[Matlock]

Hello Pan-Chan, I think that it is great to give your 4 sensei gifts but you should think of keeping it low keyed. Do not get anything too elaborate or it could been see at an attempt to gain favor from the other students. The most important thing is that you make it personal. Something like a tsuba with their initials in it or something...

I am not sure about general Japanese gifts, but since you know that they all enjoy kendo, it is probably a safe bet to get them something kendo related. Japanese things would be up to their personal taste but could include, green tea, candies, clothing (house wear), art, cheap items to put on a shelf. You know, all the things you commonly associate with Japan.

Best of luck to you!!!!

[misterkurukuru]

an open mind....and write in the card dont playa hate on the sci! :smoker:
usualy you give them money in a traditional card thingy. there is an oiwai one and a ososhiki one...dont get the ososhiki one. if the sensei have kids you can just get them x-mas gifts instead.

[Pan-Chan]

You could get him a new set of armor. I am pretty sure he would like that :D.

Lol. I BET they would.. But I don't get paid enough for that. Otherwise... maybe. >.> <.< Thanks for the suggestion though. :D

[Pan-Chan]

Hello Pan-Chan, I think that it is great to give your 4 sensei gifts but you should think of keeping it low keyed. Do not get anything too elaborate or it could been see at an attempt to gain favor from the other students. The most important thing is that you make it personal. Something like a tsuba with their initials in it or something...

I am not sure about general Japanese gifts, but since you know that they all enjoy kendo, it is probably a safe bet to get them something kendo related. Japanese things would be up to their personal taste but could include, green tea, candies, clothing (house wear), art, cheap items to put on a shelf. You know, all the things you commonly associate with Japan.

Best of luck to you!!!!

Thank you for the advice, I appreciate it a lot. I like the personalized tsuba idea. Do you have any idea if there is an embrodery(sp?) service that would do something like that? If not, maybe I can wing it. ^^;

Thanks a ton though.

[Matlock]

Thank you for the advice, I appreciate it a lot. I like the personalized tsuba idea. Do you have any idea if there is an embrodery(sp?) service that would do something like that? If not, maybe I can wing it.Pan-Chan, well I do not know where you can get the tsuba done however, I am in constant contact with a local bogu dealer just around the corner from my office here in Tokyo. I will ask him if there is somewhere local that it can be done. You know, I have seen pretty much personalized anything from shinais and tsubas to bokkens, which you can think about too. I see the gift of a bokken with the person's name etched in it very often. Not sure what it would cost though. I will ask tomorrow. Meanwhile, you can place a call at the internet stores around to compare prices. Might be a reasonable price but would be a great way to show appreciation.

Hope you find what you are looking for.

[Pan-Chan]

Wow, thanks a lot!

You are lucky to have a store that supplies kendo equipment so close to where you work. [is envious]

[Matlock]

You are lucky to have a store that supplies kendo equipment so close to where you work. [is envious]Not really so lucky, I just work in Tokyo. I checked with the shop owner to the small kendo store and he had several suggestions. Here are some:

business card holder (Kendo style): $42
coin holder (kendo style): $12.60
billfold (kendo style): $70
small bag for personal things (kendo style): $120
bokken with name: $84
small bokken with name: $42
leather tsuba: $26

I am sure that you could find other prices for these things on an internet site, but I just wanted to give you an idea. Pretty much everything in kendo tends to be on the expensive side, so the owner suggested to do what some schools do, for all the students to chip in and buy something together and put everyones' name on it.

Not sure really if this helps or not. Maybe it can give you some kind of idea on prices. Maybe Japanese, non-kendo related gifts would work.

Cheers and Happy Holidays

[DCPan]

So I'm thinking about what I should get my sensei(the four of them)for X-mas. And I'm completely stumped, so I was wondering if any of you knew of any traditional Japanese gifts? Seeing as Japan is kind of a motif and all.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

A personal gift that's not very expensive is a properly sized name stamp that your sensei can use to stamp their tsuka leather.

I just retrace it with an oil-based pen to make sure the name stays on.

See! (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dcpan2000/detail?.dir=7438&.dnm=9545.jpg&.src=ph)

[Hai_hai]

So I'm thinking about what I should get my sensei(the four of them)for X-mas. And I'm completely stumped, so I was wondering if any of you knew of any traditional Japanese gifts? Seeing as Japan is kind of a motif and all.

Any suggestions would be appreciated. HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
You could just give them Christmas cards. A subscription to Urecco wouldn't be bad.

[Matlock]

A personal gift that's not very expensive is a properly sized name stamp that your sensei can use to stamp their tsuka leather.

I just retrace it with an oil-based pen to make sure the name stays on.

See! (http://pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/dcpan2000/detail?.dir=7438&.dnm=9545.jpg&.src=ph)DCPan, I as surprised at you!!! You had no intentions to talk about a name stamp as a present. You REALLY only wanted everyone to click on the link to see your wonderful tsubas of different sizes you discussed on a completly different Thread..... isn't that the truth! Well, it worked on me, I sifted throught all 7 of the photos.... your tsubas are great!!!! Are your kote new? Your hand prints on the handle are REALLY blue... Which size did you decide on?

Cheers

[DCPan]

DCPan, I as surprised at you!!! You had no intentions to talk about a name stamp as a present. You REALLY only wanted everyone to click on the link to see your wonderful tsubas of different sizes you discussed on a completly different Thread..... isn't that the truth!

Hai Hai, are you using Matlock's computer? :wink:

There's only two different tsuba there you know.

The name stamp cost me US$1 because I got it made in Taiwan.


Are your kote new? Your hand prints on the handle are REALLY blue... Which size did you decide on?

Cheers

No, the kotes aren't new. I have two sets right now to rotate. One is a 3mm set from 1999. The other one is a 1.bu set from 2001.

The tsuka prints are very blue because I've been using the same tsuka for like the last 2 or three years...I don't change tsuka often...just change the staves.

There's actually like 3 or 4 unused tsuka sitting somewhere because they came free with the special shinai deals at taikais...normally, I just buy bamboo.

[Twobitmage]

I dunno what you should give them but if you want to be all traditional buy some japanese print cloths from walmart or something and wrap it in a fuorshiki

http://www.nancysnotions.com/Nancys/assets/html/furoshiki.asp?URLCheck=1